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Risk Assessments
Risk Assessments
Risk Assessments
what they are, why they're important and how to complete them
Risk assessment is a primary management tool in ensuring the health and safety of workers
(and others). What many people perhaps are not aware of, however, is that they are
actually a legal requirement for employers and certain self-employed people. Whether
you're wondering how to complete a risk assessment or are unsure of their relevance within
your industry, read on to discover everything you need to know.
What is a risk assessment?
The definition of a risk assessment is a systematic process of identifying hazards and
evaluating any associated risks within a workplace, then implementing reasonable control
measures to remove or reduce them.
Risk assessment is a straightforward and structured method of ensuring the risks to the
health, safety and wellbeing of employees (and others) are suitably eliminated, reduced or
controlled
To identify health and safety hazards and evaluate the risks presented within the
workplace
To evaluate the effectiveness and suitability of existing control measures
To ensure additional controls (including procedural) are implemented wherever the
remaining risk is considered to be anything other than low.
To prioritise further resources if needed to ensure the above.
It can be a costly lesson for a business if they fail to have necessary controls in place. They
could face not only financial loss (through fines, civil actions, etc) but also loss in respect
of production time, damage to equipment, time to train replacement employees and
negative publicity amongst others.
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 states that an employer
must take reasonable steps ‘for the effective planning, organisation, control, monitoring
and review of the preventive and protective measures.’ So even if the task of risk
management is delegated, it is ultimately the responsibility of the management within any
business to ensure it is effectively completed.
Once hazards have been identified, the associated risks evaluated and steps taken to
minimise the potential effects, the next step for an employer is to clearly and effectively
communicate the risk assessment process and content to relevant parties.
The process of communication is more effectively achieved if the relevant persons are
involved with the risk assessment process at every stage. The person carrying out an
activity or task is often best placed to provide details on the associated hazards and risks
and should participate fully in the completion of the risk assessment.
Additional training may be required - such as our Level 2 Award in Risk Assessment to
ensure that a review is completed accurately and effectively.
When to carry out a risk assessment?
A suitable and sufficient risk assessment must be carried out prior to a particular activity or
task being carried out in order to eliminate, reduce or suitably control any associated risk to
the health, safety and wellbeing of persons involved with (or affected by) the task/activity
in question.
Observation: Walking around your workplace and looking at what activities, tasks,
processes or substances used could harm your employees (or others)
Looking back over past accidents and ill-health records as they may identify less
obvious hazards
Checking manufacturers’ data sheets, instructions, information and guidance
Consulting with employees (and others) who are carrying out the activities, tasks or
processes.
It may be useful to group hazards into five categories, namely physical, chemical,
biological, ergonomic and psychological.
Step 2. Identify who might be harmed by those hazards
Next, identify who might be harmed by those potential hazards. It should also be noted
how they could be affected, be it through direct contact or indirect contact. It is not
necessary to list people by name, rather by identifying groups including:
Employees
Contractors
Some hazards may present a higher risk to certain groups including children, young
people, new or expectant mothers, new employees, home workers, and lone workers.
Significant changes can happen in businesses and when they do, make sure to review your
risk assessment and amend it if you need to. If you or your organisation are planning
changes that will happen in the future, ensure a risk assessment review is included.
Risk assessments are an integral part of ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of
everyone within the workplace. The Level 2 Award in Risk Assessment course is a short
course recommended for anyone who has to carry out risk assessments or wants to
understand the process more fully.